The Benefits of Screencasting in Software Development

Yes, I’ve been too busy working on the FeedSeeder project to write up too much about it. That said, I’ve been privately documenting it’s development with screencasts.

At the end of each development day, I start at the beginning of the app, load up iShowU and walk through all the functionality as if I’m presenting it to someone new.

Sometimes things still don’t work – or don’t work as expected (’Huh?’). Sometimes they do (’Yeah!’).

Either way, I’ve found the benefits huge;

• I see what’s broken, and have a record of how it happened
• I get practice walking through the app
• I have a list of things to work on tomorrow
• I can share it’s status with the small group of very excited people – and guarantee their experience with this early-stage, in-development app.

Also, yes, I’m still on track to present it at MinneDemo next Tuesday and it should be in real good shape in time for the Podcast and Portable Media Expo.

Finally, Dave Winer’s current work on the River of News has helped frame quite a bit of thinking around this app.

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